by leaving_quietly 40 Replies latest watchtower bible
Suppose you're in a yard filled with trees covered in healthy green leaves & then you saw one tree with no leaves, you would say that tree is dead. The leaves are an indication of a living tree; a result of healthy life. You could reasonably conclude that a "tree without leaves is dead."
The WTS would have you believe if you rake & pile enough leaves together... you have a tree.
John 15:5
WHere is the sin of slavery in James ? Surely that warrants a mention or dont slaves count as humans ?
"Sin of Slavery" please elaborate.
Some of you folks just don't get it, so may I please ask a simple question:
Where in the Bible can it be deduced that "works" equals selling books and recruiting new book selling people and not much of anything else except going to training sessions every week where you are taught to sell books more effectively?
Farkel, Patiently Waiting CLASS
Cage:
Half the population in the old days particularly Rome were slaves. Given their misery and painful life why didnt James make a statement and say btw we should remmber the slaves and they should all be free ?
why didnt James make a statement and say btw we should remmber the slaves and they should all be free ?
LOL, because like most books of the Bible it probably isn't what it claims to be:
The epistle may not be a true piece of correspondence between specific parties, but rather an example of wisdom literature formulated as a letter for circulation. The work is considered New Testament wisdom literature because, "like Proverbs and Sirach, it consists largely of moral exhortations and precepts of a traditional and eclectic nature."
trans: SHouldnt you statement be ALL not MOST. They all fail to condemn slavery, rape or pedophilia.
Another line of reasoning here.
Based on the Society's chronology:
James was completed "before 62 C.E." (All Scripture book, p. 248)
Acts was completed in 61 C.E. and was written specifically to Theophilus.
It would be unlikely that James would have access to a personal letter written to Theophilus. In addition, Acts was writtein while Paul was in Rome. It would have taken some time to get that letter delivered to Theophilus. If James was completed "before 62 C.E.", he conceivably would have no access to the full accounts.
He would have also have not been familiar with Paul's words to Timothy in 2 Tim. 4:2 to "preach the word". Why? 2 Timothy was not completed until 65 C.E., thus those words had not been written.
He may have been familiar with Paul's words to the Colossians at Col 1:25 where Paul said it was his stewardship to preach the word fully. However, even that seems unlikely. Those were completed in 60-61 C.E. James would likely not had access to these as he had no involvement in preaching to the nations. We know that because of the words of Paul at Gal 2:9: "James and Ce′phas and John, the ones who seemed to be pillars, gave me and Bar′na·bas the right hand of sharing together, that we should go to the nations, but they to those who are circumcised." So, it would be unlikely that James had this letter in his possession when he wrote his letter.
Paul did talk personally to James three years after the Lord blinded him (Gal 1:19). Also, James was present when Paul, Barnabus and Titus went to Jerusalem to tell them about how their false brothers were promoting something that was worthless, the circumcision. During that time, Acts 15:4 tells us "they recounted the many things God had done by means of them" to the apostles, of which James was one and was present. We know that because Acts 15:13 tells us that James is the one speaking.
So, reasoning based on chronology alone, James did not have access to the same information that we do regarding preaching. His "works" would not have included that. He was well aware of Paul's stewardship, and no doubt was pleased by it. But, at Acts 15:28, 29 and at James 1:27, he said nothing about preaching as part of the things they were to do as "works" leading to salvation.
The Opposite of works of the flesh. The Fruitage of the Spirit (9) which can only be got with the assistance of Holy Spirit.
Holy Spirit - God's '' free gift '' which he gladly gives to those who sincerely seek and request it.
Each subject in itself is a study to unlock the real meaning of eaach word. Applying it every day in ones life shows the qualities of a true Christian. The greatest command is Love, if you have love, all things will follow.
Just for the sake of fairness....
I don't think the JW point of view is that one must work for their salvation. That is not really an accurate statement. In the case of faith vs works, the reality is that one does not exist without the other. So without one, the other isn't. Its chicken vs egg and doesn't really matter. There is nothing you can do to earn salvation, neither is there any amount of "works" that can make you approved without faith from the biblical standpoint.
So that being said, one could make an arguement that the practical application of the scripture is lost on JW's as they focus heavily on works. To be sure meeting together, and preaching to others about Jesus could be called "works", although I would add that so could charity and living with the fruitage of the spirit in mind.
